Means for improving a vacuum.



M. VON REOKLINGHAUSEN.

MEANS FOR IMPROVING A VACUUM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1913.

1,1 10,576. 15116111811 Sept.15,1914.

2 SHEETSSHBET 1.

o EXHAUST PUMP M. VON RECKLINGHAUSEN. MEANS FOR IMPROVING A VACUUM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1913.

1,1 10,5760 Patented Sept. 15,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

h m 62 81406141306 fittozuW M UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HOBOKEN, N

, JERSEY.

JEAX vox RECKLINGHAUSEN, OF SURESNES, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO COOPER HEWITTEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW means son mrnovmo a vacuum.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

Application filed July 29, 1913. Serial No. 781,896.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Max VON RECKLING- HAUSEN,a subject of the Emperor of Germany, and resident of Suresnes, Seine,

France, have invented certain new and useful improvements i .Means forImproving a Vacuum, of which the following is a specification. I

Certain metals when properly heated are capable of absorbing both oxygenand nitrogen and are therefore suited to assist in the creation of avacuum inside a container which is sealed or to be sealed. Such metalsmay be made use of in exhausting tubes for the well-known mercury vaporapparatus and it is to this object mainly that the present inventionapplies. Among the metals which might be used for this purpose aremagnesium, boron and titanium. In the case of magnesium, however, themetal in its active condition is likely to attack the glass and for thisreason I suggest the use of boron or titanium as the substance which maybe the action of the electrodes or through some outside source of heat,as by an electric current or other source.

In the drawin s, Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 illustrate four di erent modes ofheating the selected materials.

Referring to the drawings in detail 1 is the container of a mercuryvapor converter, 2 is a positive electrode therefor, which may be ofiron, and 3 is a negative electrode of mercury. Suitable lead wires, 4and 5, connect with the respective electrodes. The apparatus is pumpedout in the usual way and sealedofi when desired.

I supply boron or titanium or other material aving the describedqualities in the form of a solid or a powder and provide means forcausing it to be heated to render it active for absorbing oxygen andnitrogen and thus improving the vacuum.

I may place it on the negative electrode where 1t will be heated by thenegative electrode flame, as illustrated at 20 in Fig. .1; or in adepression 21 in the positive electrode, where it will become heatedwhen the usual rocess of driving off the occluded gases rom a solidpositive electrode is employed, as illustrated in Fig. 2; or I may placeit in a separate pocket, as 6, connected with the container, the sourceof heat being a flame, 7, or other external source, as illustrated inFig. 3 or I may shape the boron or other selected material intoelectrodes as 8 and 9, and form an are between them (thereby heatingthem), as illustrated in Fig. 4. In the last named case a suitablesource of current (not shown) may be employed for. supplying thenecessary electrical energy.

The invention is not limited to being used with mercury vapor apparatusalone, as will be readily understood.

'The disclosure herein made is practically identical with that made inmy application Serial Number 218,830, filed July 30th, 1904, and therenewal thereof, Serial Number 709,831, filed July 16th, 1912.

I claim as my invention: 4 a

In a vacuum electric ap aratus, the combination with an hermetica lysealed and exhausted envelop and suitable electrodes therein, of a bodyof metallic boron therein shaped as an electrode for an electric arc, a

.second electrode cooperating therewith, to

gether with electrical means for temporarily passing current from saidboron to said cooperating electrode whereby the boron is heated and theresidual gases areabsorbed.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this28th day of July A. D. 1913.

MAX VON RECKLINGHAUSEN.

Witnesses:

HAROLD B. WOODWARD, Gnonon H. S'roommmoa.

